First Firewhisky (Chassy)

Sterling cautiously allowed her to lead him into Diagon Alley. He felt as if he were trespassing. She didn't know who he was, and if she had, she certainly wouldn't be offering to dance at that moment. He bowed as she curtsied, but stood stalk still for a moment to think it out. He always tried to approach matters with a sense of reason and internal debate, and disregarded desires and emotions as much as possible. Just as he was about to tell Chase who he really was, a wave of fuzzy exhaustion swept over him. The firewhisky provided warmth, even in the frigid rain. He stepped forward without another thought, placing one hand on Chase's waist, and laced his fingers in her other. The world was going slightly blurry around him, but he kept from stumbling without effort, maintaining his poise.

He didn't start dancing, though. He just stayed there, hand on her waist, hand in hand; staring intently into her eyes. [[OUT OF CHARACTER: Are they still brown??]]

Chase giggled as he bowed. She was about to say something, but then thought against it. Sometimes it was good to stand and not talk, almost made her feel normal! She giggled again as he moved forward and took her hand, putting his hand on her waist. She reached up and put her hand on his shoulder, lacing her fingers together with his. "See now!" She said smiling. "This isn't so bad, now is it?" She asked her blue eyes catching his. "Now all you have to do is move your feet! I could teach you how to waltz too if you wanted to, but we don't have to do that." She said giggling again.

She slowly lifted one foot, and moved slightly, hoping he would take the hint and follow with her. She swayed for a moment, and then leaned her head back slightly, letting the rain wash over her face, her eyes closed as she enjoyed dancing. It wasn't much of a dance yet, seeing as he hadn't really moved, but it was all the same, dancing with someone, or dancing alone, doing the waltz, the tango, the fox trot. Any and all of it, it was dancing, and Chase loved it a lot. She opened her eyes again and looked up into his. A sudden warmth washed through her whole body, and then a chill of cold. She knew him from somewhere, and she would find out where!

Staring up into his eyes, a small frown creased between her own eyes. "You never said if you go to Hogwarts yet.. You look old enough to be out of school, but I'm not sure, you could be a 6th or 7th year." She said still frowning as she stared into his eyes. "And.. Man.. I know I know you from somewhere! I just.. I can't place it!" She said biting down on her lower lip in deep concentration, her forehead furrowed from thinking. "you look.. like someone I used to know." She said slowly thinking hard.

Aaron's mind reeled. He was about to separate and swing dance, the only dancing he knew how to do well. Then he stopped cold as Chase began talking again. He had not yet taken a step, nor started dancing. He let both his hands fall to his side, first off her waist then from her hand. He took a step backwards and shook his head. The cold drops of rain boring into him were clearing his otherwise crazed mind. He had to tell her... he couldn't not.

"Yes, I go to Hogwarts. I'm a seventh year Ravenclaw. I've been in Finland for the last year..." he said, trailing off. Had he told Chase about him going to Finland? Sterling didn't think so, because they hadn't been talking much when he'd made the decision, but if he had let it slip, she might put it together...

He couldn't blurt out his identity now, though. He might have at first, could he go back to that moment, but now she would almost certainly be angry that he hadn't told her in the first place. No, no... he'd tell her another day.

He simply stood now where he was, slightly backed away. A gaggle of witches jogged by, evidently unable to use the Waterproofing Charm.

The cold kept his mind clear. The effects of the alcohol he had were beginning to wear off as long as he stayed in the rain...

[[OUT OF CHARACTER: I don't know what Sterling's involvement with Catalina is, yet. Cait and I talked about whether or not they should know each other, but inconclusively. That's why I haven't mentioned it Since I don't know whether or not Sterling has a girlfriend, I'm keeping his actions moderately free, but not excessively so, ya know?!]]

[OOC: Sad day >.> thought I might have a LITTLE fun...]

Chase stared at him as he suddenly backed away. She bit her lip and then ran her hand through her drenched hair. "I'm sorry..." She said suddenly. "I guess.. I just.. I don't have many friends anymore ya know?" She said softly. "It was a hard year.. finding out I missed a whole year.. ya know?" She said carefully and slowly. What else could she say to a guy she had just met? Nothing really.. sure he was cute and all, but.. really, was she going to turn into her former self? NO! She refused to even think about it.. Sure now she had other problems, running away from her boyfriend like he was going to eat her (And he just might, she wasn't sure yet).

When he said his house and year, something stirred in her mind. An exert from her diary:

Sterling Silver, cute, Ravenclaw, he hates me! During the Battle of Hogwarts.. he used Imperio and made me kiss him... a lot, and he almost made me kill him.. Diary.. I need to just, forget him! Please.. let me forget him! He was the first guy who ever liked me for me.. and then, I just destroyed him!

Chase took a small step backwards. "Aaron.. is.. is your real name Aaron?" She whispered, horrified she looked up at him. Why was she so stupid? He hadn't even said his last name, and he'd been away for a year? Where had Sterling been? Disappeared by the looks of it! Taking a deep calming breath she seriously hoped she had the wrong guy. "Have you ever heard of a guy in your year? His name is Sterling Silver.." She said softly, her gaze following the witches walking past, who were squealing and laughing in the rain.

[[OUT OF CHARACTER: Whether or not he remembers her, they're DEFINITELY not 'together', it's just that he'd be a little more cautious if he DID know her, that's all. Either way, Sterling's not 'taken', so feel free to have a little fun if you want. He's only being reluctant now in respect of Chase]]

Sterling responded, "Sterling Silver? Yes... he's somebody I used to know." he said, blatantly evading the question. "I've kind of lost contact with Sterling from Hogwarts." Technically, it was true. He wasn't really the same as he was then. The Sterling Silver now wasn't the Sterling Silver that Chase had known. Determined not to be, he still avoided the prospect. He was feeling so good--he didn't want to ruin it because of past memories.

Looking up at Aaron with a shocked look she felt a smile slowly fall on her features. "Well.. if you.. were to ever see him again.. can you tell him I'm sorry? I did a lot of horrible things in the past! And.. well.. I'm reforming now! Now that I realize how.. STUPID I was!" She said and lightly rapped herself on the forehead with her knuckles.

"I did some pretty horrible stuff in my past Aaron..." She said smiling at him again. "And.. I feel horrible.. I hurt so many people! I just.. well.. my current boyfriend being one of them, I think.. once I figure things out with him.. I don't think.. I mean to say." She stammered and then looked at her feet and then up him again.

"I'm tired of my past.. and I want it to go away, I don't know how to make it go away, but I wish it was alright.. like I had never met them! Not that I don't remember them! But that I hadn't met them at all! So I couldn't have hurt them!" She said taking a deep breath. "Will you please dance with me?" She said suddenly looking up at him. "I'd really like to right now.." She said smiling at him slightly, her smile crooked, but she looked at her feet again.

"I hate hurting people.. I just.. I'm so afraid of my current boyfriend, and I'm so afraid I'll run into someone I know, and they'll start yelling at me or something... or I'll hurt them again." she said looking up at him. "But of course none of this involves you! I shouldn't even be telling you any of this! But.. I guess.. I just needed to talk?" she said slowly looking up at him again.

Sterling's mind filled with adoration as she apologized. How could she be the one doing so?? Sure, she had left him but... he had been horrible to her since then. He smiled inwardly, and eventually the smile broke through to the surface. "I'm sure he forgives you," he said shakily. Without giving it a second thought, he rushed forward and gave Chase a warm, wet hug.

"I'm sorry, for whatever happened." he said, trying to maintain his secret identity for a short while longer, in case she didn't forgive Sterling. If Chase couldn't befriend Sterling, then Sterling would just have to be Aaron for her.

Sterling's nose was close to the place where Chase's neck connected with her shoulder, her hair in between. The heavy scent of lilac wafted into his awareness and caused him to tighten his embrace without meaning to.

Chase smiled at him for a moment before he was suddenly hugging her. She stood for a second staring straight ahead, before she put her arms around him and hugged him back. Maybe he needed someone to talk to more then she did! She smiled as his nose rested against her shoulder and his embrace tightened. Wow.. how long had it been since she had gotten a hug?

She had been to afraid of her current boyfriend to even think about getting near his fangs. And Aaron obviously needed a hug, and was just looking for an excuse to hug her, because her plight wasn't that bad. She just had a Vampire boyfriend, and a guy who probably hated her. She had been a horrible person, but now.. now she would try to be a good friend. For Aaron, as well as anyone else she met!

Taking a long deep shuddering breath she held onto his neck, hugging him tightly, and not wanting to let go. How long would it be again until someone hugged her? She didn't know, her parents never did, her siblings were growing up so much, they didn't even look at her anymore. They were off at friends houses or playing Quidditch or stuff like that, they never looked at their eldest sister anymore.

And now, here was a guy she barely met, who was hugging her like an old friend. She sighed softly and closed her eyes. His warmth helping to keep her warmer then the rain, still hitting their bodies, would allow. "Thanks so much Aaron." She said softly, her breath making the hair by her mouth move slightly, even though it was wet.

Sterling's right arm slid slightly to the small of her back, her left hand wrapped around her shoulder. He inhaled deeply, overcome with her succulent scent. He was beginning to move his cheek closer and closer to hers when finally, the non-drunk him shone through for a moment. He removed himself from her promptly, before he sense lost out again.

"My god, Chase. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before... I'm sure you've guessed but, I am Sterling Silver. I've changed since I've been gone, and I can understand if you're mad at me, seeing as you weren't speaking to me just before I left..."

He hung his head, that landed just on top of her head, whispering more apologies.

His hand was moving. She could barley feel it, but the embrace was getting more and more passionate. She didn't want to move and be rude, but she was getting a bit uncomfortable now. Her eyes were open and suddenly he had let her go. She slipped slightly when he started to talk. "Sterling." she said slowly. A look of realization hitting her now. "I..I didn't know..I.." She stammered as he hung his head, now above her she moved away from him until her back hit the wall.

She had told herself! She said she'd avoid him at all cost! And now the second person from her past had just told her a fake name, to see if she would remember him! SECOND! The rain pounded harder then ever, only now it didn't feel so happy and nice. Now it felt like it was going to drown her. So.. she had danced/hugged her first boyfriend.. while running from her current. What now!? Was that Slytherin girl going to track her down.. and almost kill him again? Was she going to send him to St. Mungos? Where she'd meet her SECOND boyfriend?!

Turning her face from him she stood for a long moment breathing heavily, her back pressed against the wall, her face turned towards the back of the alley. "How is it.. I manage to run into you now?" She said slowly biting her lip again, her eyes closed as she tried to calm herself down. "Sterling.." She said tasting the word in her mouth. "You know.. your not the only one.. who has given me a fake name, tried to get close to me before spilling the news of who they really are." She said and then her eyes found his again.

"I'm sorry!" She cried out suddenly, her whole body shaking with grief. "I hurt you so much! But.. I'm different now I swear! I won't be like I was! I won't hurt you!" She said fists clenched. She rushed forward and hugged him around the middle, fighting off tears. "I'm so sorry.. that wasn't me! This is me! I'm Chase Moor.. not that nasty.. lying.. cheating..." She took a deep breath, her arms wrapped around his middle, trying to get a grip on herself.